When You Say Nothing At All
by traceymichelle
Summary: What happened after the kiss? A Carby Continuation...
1. Default Chapter

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When You Say Nothing At All

by Tracey ( traceymichelle@earthlink.net )

* * *

Carter and Abby watched as the health department official left the room. He had had the nerve to come in and thank them for their help, then quarantine them overnight.

Carter rolled his eyes and took a few steps pulling at the collar of his top. "Awww…man."

"How much does this suck?" Abby said placing her hands on her hips and looking around the room.

"The department would like to thank you but we can't bring you a fan," Carter said sarcastically mimicking the man that had just left the room. "Is it me? It's like a sauna in here," he continued as he pulled on the collar of his shirt and shook some sweat from his hands. "I'm soaked," he said grumpily.

"Do you have a fever?" Abby asked as she walked over and placed her hand on Carter's forehead. 

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It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart

Without saying a word, you light up the dark

"No!" he said pushing her hand away.

"Well just sit down," she said motioning to the gurney.

****

Try as I may I could never explain  
What I hear when you don't say a thing.

"I'm fine," he insisted as he watched her walk away.

"Sit down," she said more insistently when she returned with a thermometer.

"Take your temperature," she said holding out the thermometer to him.

Carter gave her one of those looks. "I'm not infectious."

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The smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
There's a truth in your eyes, saying you'll never leave me

"Just stick the thermometer in your ear," she said getting frustrated before she walked over to the cabinet.

"Today started out like a normal day, huh?" Carter asked as he held the thermometer in his ear to please Abby.

She rummaged around through the cabinet and finally found a cold pack. She let out a deep sigh before closing the door and walking back to Carter.

"See…99 I told you," Carter said holding out the thermometer as if to say I told you so.

__

A touch of your hand,says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
Now, you say it best when you say nothing at all

"Okay," Abby said dismissing the thermometer he laid at his side. "You're still hot," Abby said quietly placing the cold pack on the back of his neck. "Is that better?"

Carter inhaled as the cold pack hit his skin. "Mmmhmmm," he murmured lowering his head and closing his eyes enjoying the coolness Abby had given him.

__

All day long I can hear people talking out loud  
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd

Abby stood silently holding the cold pack to his skin trying to cool him off. She let out a small sigh and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. Worry was written across her face as she finally closed her eyes tightly as if praying for a miracle.

"Worst of this is over right?" she asked quietly.

Carter looked up gazing into her eyes, not sure of what to say. How could he tell her he wasn't sure if the worst of it was over? What if the worst of it had only just begun?

"Tell me we're going to be okay…" she whispered as she stared into his eyes begging for the right answer.

__

Old Mr. Webster could never define  
What's being said between your heart and mine

His heart was pounding…her face was inches from his. He had forgotten the hundred degree temperatures…he couldn't think of anything but being quarantined in this small room with Abby. His breathing quickened as he leaned a little closer to her…his eyes full of desire for her. Another movement and his lips gently caressed hers.

Moments later he leaned back causing her to stumble a step forward with him. She gazed into his eyes almost unsure of what just happened. Not a word was spoken as he stood, her arms still around his neck. 

"We're going to be okay," he murmured not taking his eyes from her own. We're going to be okay," he said more confidently as he leaned down to kiss her again….

Their moment was broken as the boy's mother began screaming next door. "Nooooooo," she yelled at the top of her lungs. The machines were screeching and the boy was seizing.

"What happened?!" Carter said as he rushed into the room with Abby in tow.

"I don't know; he was just lying there and then…Oh God," the mother begged.

"Lidocane?" Abby asked holding the needle up.

"Push it and charge to 200," Carter said taking the paddles off the crash cart. He looked at Abby, his eyes full of worry. "Stay with me…stay with me," he murmured to the lifeless boy.

"Ready," Abby said.

"Clear!" he said before shocking the boy. 

"Asystole," Abby said quietly.

"Charge to 250," he said as he prayed for it to work this time. "Clear!"

The machines were silent.

"Is he okay?" the mother asked rushing to his side and taking his hand. "Oh God, is he going to be okay?"

Carter let out a sigh of relief as he stared at the machines. He couldn't lose this kid…he couldn't.

"He's going to be okay for now ma'am," Abby said as she smiled at the mother. "We're doing everything we can…" She looked down at the small boy covered with pox and her heart dropped. Would he be okay? Would he live to see another day? Would **they** be okay? She shyly glanced over at Carter and a confused smile crept across her face as she remembered the kiss. Their kiss. What did it mean?

"Abby! Susan needs you!" She glanced up as Gallant poked his head through the door.

"Be right there," she murmured as she took one last look at Carter and went to find Susan.

Carter watched silently as Abby left the room. What was she thinking? She had responded when he kissed her, hadn't she? He picked up the thick medical book he had been reading and gave a slight nod to the parents before he left the room.

Abby walked down the hall in a daze trying to push what had happened earlier out of her mind. She wouldn't be able to concentrate if she couldn't get that out…

"Susan," she said walking up behind her. 

Susan turned around at the sound of her name. "Oh Abby," she said with a sigh of relief. "We just need to get this room set up for the vaccine treatment…"

"So it has been confirmed then?" Abby asked worriedly.

"No…not yet, but seeing as how you are supposed to be quarantined we figured this would give you something to do," Susan said with an apologetic smile on her face.

"But what about Carter?" Abby asked wondering if he would be okay alone.

"We'll come get you if he needs you," Susan promised before she left the room.

Abby groaned in frustration as she turned to stare at the piles of boxes scattered throughout the room. "Where do I start?" 

"I'm sure we'll have some food delivered to us soon," Luka said with a groan as the angry mob in front of him started complaining again. "Can't you be happy with the drinks they sent in?" he said before he stormed behind the admit desk.

"Great night to be working huh?" Jerry asked from his seat on the floor. 

"Yeah, wonderful night…" Luka replied.

HOURS LATER…

Carter had dozed off, the huge book he had been reading lying across his chest.

"Dr. Carter…" a voice called out to him. "Dr. Carter…"

His eyes popped open to find the man from the public health department standing over him. "It's over Dr. Carter," he said smiling.

Carter sat up quickly running a hand through his mussed up hair. "It's over?" he asked questionably.

"Yeah…it's not smallpox, just a variation of a disease that has all the signs and symptoms of it. The good thing is we have a vaccine for it and the boy," he said nodding towards the other room, "Is going to be fine."

"So it's really over then," Carter murmured. 

"Yeah…you can get your vaccine whenever you want Dr. Carter. I believe your friend is giving them," he said before he left the room.

Carter smiled as the man left the room. They had beaten it. Thank God. He walked into the adjoining room where the parents and the small boy sat silently. "You heard the news?" 

"Yes," the mother said tearfully as she clutched her sons hand.

"He's going to be okay," Carter said reassuringly. He turned to walk out of the room but was stopped by the sound of her voice. "Thank you Dr. Carter," she said smiling.

"Your welcome."

"Owww," the man muttered as Abby pricked him with the needle. He jerked away causing her to drop the needle and knock over her tray of supplies.

"You're going to have to hold still sir," she said grimacing.

"I told you I don't like needles," he muttered.

"Do you want the vaccine or not?!" she half yelled.

"Just get it over with," the man said frowning as he turned his head away from the needle.

Abby stuck him, quickly this time and dropped the needle into the red container. "All done," she breathed in a sigh of relief. She had been at this for over an hour now and it was really starting to get to her.

"Thanks," the man half-muttered as he stood and walked out the door.

"Yeah…no problem," Abby muttered as she started picking up the spilled supplies. "Next…" she yelled to the line of people waiting outside.

Carter raised his eyebrows when he stepped through the door and saw Abby on her knees. "Are you sure this is a good time?" he asked grinning.

__

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me   
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice. She turned her head so she could see him and smiled. "Yeah it's a good time. Sit down," she said standing up and grinning at him. "You wouldn't believe the babies we've had in here today."

"That bad huh?" he asked sympathetically.

"I think I'm just tired," she admitted sheepishly. "Which arm?" she asked holding up the alcohol prep pad.

__

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall   
You say it best when you say nothing at all

"You pick," Carter said, his eyes twinkling.

Abby smiled and pushed up a shirt sleeve and sterilized a small area of skin. Her face was once again inches from his as she prepared to stick him with the needle. "Don't move," she instructed.

"I wouldn't dream of it…"

"All done," she said as she put a bandaid on his arm. "Try not to rub it or let anybody hit you there for the rest of the day. Takes awhile for the meds to absorb into the bloodstream."

"Yes ma'am," Carter said standing up and starting to pull his shirt sleeve down. He grinned when he saw the bandaid. "Scooby Doo?" he asked trying not to laugh. 

"Well it was either that or Barbie and I didn't figure you for the Barbie type," Abby said jokingly.

"Scooby Dooby Doo it is then," Carter said smiling at her.

They continued staring at each other for a few more moments before they heard arguing outside the room. "Well I guess I'll get out of here and let you get back to work," Carter murmured, not wanting to leave.

"Yeah…" she said quietly.

"Okay then…I'll see you later," Carter said as he walked out of the room in a rush.

"I don't care who is sick. We are short staffed down here so send me somebody!" Kerry slammed down the phone and continued barking out orders. The staff was running around like crazy trying to get things back in order.

"Good job Susan…Carter," she murmured before she walked into the lounge.

"Did I just hear that?" Susan asked looking around at Luka and Carter. 

"I do believe she is delirious," Carter said as he walked up behind her. 

"Must be," she replied.

Luka grinned and started walking down the hallway. "I'll be in exam four examining Stan if anyone needs me."

"Have fun," Susan called as he walked off. She turned around and stared at Carter.

"What?" he asked.

"You've got some lipstick right there," Susan said grinning as she wiped off a smudge of lipstick.

"Oh," Carter said blushing.

"Congratulations Carter," Susan said as she gave him a hug.

Abby took a deep breath of fresh air as she walked out onto the roof. The vaccines were given and everyone had gone home. The ER was back to it's normal routine with Kerry barking out orders. 

She leaned against the concrete ledge and gazed up at the billions of stars that were shining brightly. She couldn't stop thinking about it. About him. What had happened between them?

__

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me   
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me

"Beautiful night isn't it?"

She jumped at the voice behind her, but was relieved to see it was Carter.

"I figured you'd done be home in bed by now," she said trying to calm her nerves.

"You know me…always the last to go," he said laughing.

"Yeah that is true…always the last one," she murmured as thoughts of their kiss crept into her mind.

They stood silently side by side for awhile. A breeze was blowing, the stars were twinkling, the moon was shining bright upon them.

"Abby…" he started. "Carter," she started at the same time.

"You first," she said insistently.

"You sure? I don't mind," he said nervously.

"Go ahead…what were you going to say?"

Carter shifted uneasily on his feet and took a deep breath. "About what happened earlier," he started slowly. "I just wanted to apologize for catching you off guard like that. It won't happen again," he finished in a rush. He had fumbled terribly over his words and now he felt like a complete fool. Beep, beep, beep. He smiled nervously as he reached for his pager. "Gotta go…ER needs me," he said grinning as he held up the pager. "I'll talk to you later…" 

Abby watched in shock as Carter started walking across the roof. He had just apologized for kissing her? What the? She didn't know what to say or how to feel. Did he think she was still in love with Luka? 'It won't happen again.' She kept hearing him saying that like a broken record in her mind. What if she wanted it to happen again?

She watched as he opened the door to go inside. Her heart was racing as she took a few steps after him. What am I going to say? Maybe it was a mistake? What if he didn't mean anything by it? All these questions and more were racing through her mind as she kept taking a few steps closer. "Carter!" she called out before he went through the door. She broke out into a run across the roof when he didn't stop. "John!" she yelled louder.

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The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall   
You say it best when you say nothing at all

He stopped and turned when he heard her call his name. He smiled and cocked his head slightly to the left as she came to a stop in front of him. He didn't say a word as he waited for her….waited for her to make the first move.

Her hands were shaking as she gazed into his eyes. She didn't know if she was ready for this. She didn't know if he was ready for her. She didn't know how the future would turn out. She didn't know what her life would be like tomorrow. But she did know that she couldn't go another day like this…wondering what it would be like.

"I want it to happen again John," she whispered as her arms crept around his neck. "I don't want to lose you," she whispered as she pulled him down for a kiss….

He pulled away from her and stared at her intently with those eyes. Eyes that could see into the depths of her soul. He smiled at her, not saying a word, and it was at that very moment that Abby Lockhart knew that he would never leave her…that she was truly loved.

* * *

Here is a link to where you can hear the song I used within the story. Hope you like it!

. http://www.towerrecords.com/product.asp?pfid=1507625&AID=14497&PID=96600


	2. When You Say Nothing At All - Part 2

The water trickled over her bare skin in a slow rush as she daydreamed of yesterday. The night had been much too long and had allowed her to feverishly repeat the same dream over and over. And here she was, a mere 8 hour later, daydreaming the same dream. The dream that held the kiss; their kiss; the unsaid words they had shared on the rooftop; and finally her will for it to happen again; the kiss.   
  
She was rudely jolted out of her sweet dream as the water turned icy cold. "Damnit," she yelled at the uncertain neighbor above her that had flushed the toilet. One of the many joys of sharing a water heater; oh how she loved her low rent apartment; that was sarcasm by the way. Abby quickly rinsed the shampoo out of her hair as she held her breath trying to erase the freezing cold temperatures. She turned the water off and jumped out of the shower grabbing for a nearby towel.   
  
Knock, knock, knock... An instantaneous rapping at the door made her swear yet again in this early morning. Knock, knock, knock... "Keep your pants on," she yelled as she wrapped the towel around her body. "Not even a chance to dry off..." she muttered as she made her way to the door stepping over things in the process. She jerked the door open and prepared to face her landlord. "Look I..."  
  
She stopped short when she saw Carter standing in front of her with a sheepish smile on his face. "I can come back..." he started as he tried to keep his eyes focused on hers instead of the wet, clingy towel that was covering her body. It was all he could do to keep his calm as he waited for a reply. His hands suddenly became shaky and started sweating. What was a guy to do?  
  
"No...no...," she stammered as she motioned Carter inside. Abby was suddenly aware, too aware, of her state of dress, or rather undress. "I'll just go get dressed," she said rather hastily as she made off towards her bedroom, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Okay," Carter replied as he began to nervously walk around her living room. It was sparsely decorated, not very many pictures, very few personal items... He stopped at the one picture that sat by the phone and picked it up. It was one of her and Maggie. He smiled sorrowfully as he remembered the troubles the two had. He put it back and continued pacing the room, trying not to think of her; of her and the towel; of her wet in the towel... "That's enough John," he muttered as he ran a shaky hand through his hair.  
  
"Did you say something?" Abby yelled from the other room when she thought she heard him say something.   
"No...no nothing at all," Carter yelled back wringing his hands. "I'm fine..."  
  
"Oh okay," she yelled back as she finished getting dressed. "Just make yourself at home..." Abby ran over to the mirror and quickly combed her hair. "Why am I acting like this?" she muttered as she stared at herself in the mirror. "You are acting like a schoolgirl Abby," she chided herself. "Cut it out!" She picked up the blow dryer and turned it on. Her hair blew wildly as her mind raced with thoughts. What was he doing here? How could she have let him see her in a towel? She must have looked awful; hideous actually. Had he changed his mind? Did she still have too much baggage? Too much history? She relived the kiss; she recalled every word she had told him on the rooftop. "I want it to happen again..." God, what if he had changed his mind. He couldn't...he wouldn't...would he?  
  
Carter sat on the couch wringing his hands subconsciously as he waited for her to emerge. Had he made a mistake coming here? He knew that she was scheduled back at work at the same time he was that morning; he had thought it would be nice to walk to work together; so here he was. "I've got to move or do something," he muttered as he stood and walked into the kitchen. He got a glass of water and quickly gulped it all down. Boy, was he nervous suddenly. Susan had never made him this nervous...  
  
"Okay," Abby said quietly as she walked out of her bedroom. She stopped and leaned against the doorframe leading into the kitchen and smiled as she watched Carter. He was oblivious to her presence. She took in his handsome, boyish, good looks slowly, trying to store everyone in her mind. She ran her eyes the length of his body, noticing for the first time his build; not too big, but not too small either; just right, she thought smiling. She thought about what it would be like to taste his lips upon her own once again and drifted off into a short daydream...yet again.  
  
Carter sat the glass in the kitchen sink and turned around to head back into the living room. It was then that he noticed her standing there...why hadn't she said anything? "Abby..." he said tentatively. "Abby..."  
  
He had just been about ready to kiss her; his face was inches from hers; Abby...; she heard her name; why was he not kissing her? Abby... She slowly came out of her daydream and turned slightly red when she realized what she had been doing; when she realized that John had caught her. "Sorry," she said sheepishly as she looked into his eyes. Even though he was on the other side of the kitchen, what seemed like miles away from her, she felt that he was right next to her at the same time. "So what are you doing?" she said in an attempt to break the silence.  
  
John smiled and cocked his head slightly to the left when he realized that Abby had been daydreaming. "Nothing much," he said as he walked over to her and stopped inches from her. "I thought we could walk to work together..." he said questioningly. "Only if you want too..." He definitely didn't want to push her.  
  
"Yeah, yes...that would be great," she answered nonchalantly.   
  
"Okay then," John said as they stood there in the doorframe staring at one another. It seemed like they had been standing there for an eternity when the telephone rang.  
  
"I should get that..." she murmured as she stood there staring up at him. She made no effort to move though. The phone rang again...and yet again  
  
"You should get that," John said breathlessly as he took a step towards her.   
  
Her pulse was racing as the distance closed between them. He felt his hands grow cold and clammy at her nearness. He could smell the faint perfume she wore. She could see into the depths of his soul.  
  
The answering machine cut on. "You've reached Abby. I can't get to the phone right now so leave me a message." Beep..beep..beep..  
  
They were oblivious to the world as he took her hands in his, softly rubbing his thumbs across the tops of them. They tingled at the feel of skin against skin. Words were unspoken as lips grew closer to each other; as hearts tried to pull each other inside.   
  
"Abby..." the voice on the answering machine began...Luka's voice. "Abby, are you there? Abby?"  
  
Abby froze at the sound of Luka's voice on the machine; and so did John. "I'll be right back," she said quickly dashing to the phone. She picked it up and cradled the receiver to her ear. "Hello."  
  
John listened to the conversation intently, but not letting Abby see that it bothered him. He walked impatiently around the living room trying to keep his emotions in check. They were friends now; she had said that.   
  
"I'm fine Luka," Abby said quietly into the phone. A few moments of silence..."Yeah I just came home and went straight to bed. How are you doing?" A few minutes of silence..."Well that's good. I can't believe we actually had a lockdown; scary..."  
  
John was inwardly going insane as she talked so casually with Luka. She was so casual with her ex, but so jumpy with him, her best friend. What was the deal. He couldn't take another moment of listening to the conversation. Looking at his watch, he interrupted loudly enough for Luka to hear. "Abby, we need to go...we're going to be late for work," he said as casually as possible. He secretly hoped Luka had known it was him.   
  
"Oh okay," she said looking up at John with a confused look on her face. She wondered why he had said that; they had almost an hour before they had to be in. "Yes...it's Carter," she said into the phone. "Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye..."  
  
John smiled innocently as she hung up the phone. "Luka?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, he was checking to make sure I was okay...You know after the events of last night and all. I'm lucky to have such great friends," she murmured as she slid into her coat.  
  
"Yes...you are," John replied as he walked over and helped her into her coat. "I hope today goes by quietly," he said trying to lighten the mood a bit. "I think we had enough excitement yesterday to last a year."  
  
"No kidding," Abby replied as she grabbed her purse and opened the door. "Ready?"  
  
"Yeah."   
  
They left her apartment and were soon on the El headed towards County. Neither said a word as the train lurched and screeched several times throughout the trip. It wasn't until the lurching became so bad that Abby started to fall and John swept her up into his arms amidst all the onlookers that they spoke. "Thanks," she murmured looking into his eyes yet again.  
  
"Your welcome," he murmured as he leaned in closer towards her. "Anytime," he murmured grinning. Their lips were grazing; skin was screaming to be touched; bodies ached...  
  
It was then that the train derailed causing people to scream and be thrown across the car. Carter yelled; Abby screamed; both clutched for one another, yet neither knew of the other....


	3. When You Say Nothing At All - Part 3

Smoke was billowing for miles around the derailment. Small fires kept bursting into larger flames causing the trapped passengers to scream even louder. It was these screams that jolted Abby back to life. She painfully raised a hand to brush a lock of fallen hair out of her eyes. Her eyes tried to adjust to the dim light around her and it was only when her hand grazed her cheek that she realized she was bleeding...a lot.   
  
Her head was swimming as she pushed piles of rubble off the top of herself and looked around for an exit. She knew she had to get out of here and fast; she could smell the fumes getting stronger and stronger. This train was going to explode any time now.   
  
She pushed herself to her feet and wearily stood taking in her surroundings. It was then that she remembered where she was; what she was doing; where she was going; who...who she was with. "JOHN!" she screamed frantically. "JOHN!" she screamed again. No answer..."Shit," she muttered helplessly as she turned around and around looking for him. "CARTER!" she screamed even louder. Her hands were shaking as she made her way throughout the somewhat partial train.   
  
"Help me......" a voice called out to her.   
  
Abby stopped and looked back to the voice that had called her. It wasn't John. It wasn't him. Where was he? Was he okay? Was he alive? She walked back over to the man lying almost unconscious on the torn floorboards and kneeled beside him. "I'll go get help...I'll send them back," she said firmly. She stood and started to walk away when the man grabbed an ankle with all the strength he could muster. "Please....help...me," he whispered.   
  
Tears sprang to her eyes as she contemplated the situation. She was a nurse. She could help this man, who was here now, in front of her. She could get him to safety. Or she could abandon him and go in search of John. "I'm sorry...I can't" she whispered as she walked away.   
  
"John! Where are you!?" she screamed again. "Damnit," she cursed as she turned and hurried back to the man trapped under the rubble. She couldn't just leave him. John would be okay...she knew he would. He had to be....


	4. When You Say Nothing At All - Part 4

"I got you," he murmured as he pulled the little girl from the rubble. "You're going to be okay. We're going to be okay," he said more confidently as he set to work freeing her mother.  
  
"Will my mommy be okay?" the little girl asked tearfully.  
  
"She's going to be fine," he answered as he tossed off a few more pieces of metal. He gasped as blood squirted up at him. "Damnit," he muttered as he hurriedly ripped the sleeve from his shirt and tightly wrapped the bleeder.   
  
"What's wrong?!" the little girl screamed. "Mommy!"  
  
"Shhh," he said as he took her hand in his. "Your mommy is going to be okay. I promise you that. I'm a doctor."   
  
The little girl smiled at him thankfully. "My name is Ally."  
  
"Nice to meet you Ally. Now let's get your momma free."  
  
The two went back to work and soon had freed the little girl's mother. He picked her up in his arms, cradling her to his chest, and began making his way towards the exit he had made earlier. "Stay close behind me," he ordered Ally.   
  
"I will," she promised.  
  
Soon the three of them were outside in the fresh air. He laid the mother down on the charred grass and took several deep fulfilling breaths. "Thank you..." Ally said as she flung her arms around him.  
  
"Your welcome," he murmured as he hugged her back.   
  
The rescue workers had immediately made their way over to the small trio when they exited the wreckage. The mother was loaded onto a backboard and whisked away, with Ally in tow.  
  
"Let's get you on some oxygen sir," one of the paramedics suggested to him. "You've been in that smoke way too long....come on," the medic insisted.  
  
"No...no...I'm fine," he insisted as he pushed the medic away. "I'm a doctor...I can help."  
  
The medic smiled. "Glad to have you...we certainly need the help."  
  
"The name's Benton," he said extending a hand. "Peter Benton...I work at County."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abby had spent the last hour helping to free the passengers who were trapped and trying to comfort the ones who were dying. She kept looking for signs of Carter, but found none. Her willpower was weakening; she wasn't sure how much longer she could do this....without him.   
  
"I'm coming," she called to a man yelling at her.   
  
She closed her eyes momentarily trying to regain her strength. "Carter...where are you?" she murmured as she kicked a piece of the rubble with her foot. The wreckage shifted and let out a loud groan; people started screaming; sparks started flying; smoke swirled furiously.   
  
"Oh God," Abby whispered as the small enclosure became deathly dark once again.  
  
  



	5. When You Say Nothing At All - Part 5

Abby fell to the ground as the wreckage finally stopped moving. Smoke billowed dangerously around them, threatening to shorten their oxygen supply. People were screaming for help; children were crying; the dark encompassed them all...  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Get back! Everyone back!" A rescue worker screamed as the wreckage shifted. A small fire erupted near the front of the wreckage and the firemen immediately went to work.  
  
"How much longer is this going to hold up?" " Peter Benton waited impatiently for an answer from the man shouting orders. "How much longer?!" he yelled.   
  
"I don't know!" the rescue worker shouted back. "Minutes...hours....it's touch and go. We need to get everyone out...now!"  
  
Benton shook his head solemnly and glanced back towards the wrecked train. "Okay....okay," he murmured as he took off running towards the train.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Blood trickled down the pale skin and into now matted hair. A lump was beginning to form around the purple bruise on his forehead. His head was pounding and he could've sworn his foot was crushed into a thousand different pieces. Carter looked around him for any sign of Abby.   
  
"Abby..." he somewhat moaned into the smoky darkness. John tried to sit up but his efforts were short-lived. His leg was trapped under a steel beam. "Great," he muttered incoherantly. "Just great..."  
  
It was then that the wreckage shifted; it was that one moment that he needed to pull his leg free from the beam. He was panting, gasping for air; the pain shooting through his leg was horrifying. It felt like thousands of needles pricking him endlessly. "Son of a...." he yelled as he punched his fist into the ground.   
  
He gritted his teeth and tried to stand; it was somewhat useless without something to support him, so he sat back down and soaked in his surroundings. He was definitely alone; no one else in sight. And he was outside...."Wait a minute," he murmured looking around again. "How the hell..." he started.   
  
"Carter!"   
  
John jumped at the sound of his name and looked around to see who it was. "Dr. Benton!" he yelled surprisedly.   
  
"Yeah," Benton yelled back. "Are you hurt?"   
  
"My leg; it was crushed under a beam but when the train moved I jerked it free." Carter grinned as Benton made his way over to him dodging fallen beams. Peter got down on one knee and began examining Carter's leg.   
  
"You're lucky man....this whole thing is about to go. Fires are bursting out everywhere," he continued. "Looks like you may have a fracture," Peter said as he began rummaging through the wreckage. "There..."   
  
"What do you mean this thing is about to go..." Carter interrupted shakily.   
  
"That's just what they said man," Peter said as he began to splint Carter's leg. "Let's get you out of here," he murmured as he put an arm around Carter to help him up.   
  
"No..." Carter began as he pushed him away.   
  
Peter looked down at him in confusion. "Carter...man we gotta get out of here before this thing blows," he said as he pulled his friend to his feet.   
  
Carter groaned in frustration and let out a yelp of pain as Benton pulled him up and supported him. "Abby...." he said through gritted teeth. "Abby's in here...."   
  
Peter had been leading Carter through the wreckage; he stopped when Carter mentioned Abby. "Are you sure?"   
  
"I'm sure," Carter said raggedly. "We were on our way to County when all this...." He stopped, short of breath and closed his eyes painfully.   
  
"Don't worry man....we'll find her."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Luka jumped out of the helicopter and ran to the nearest rescue worker demanding details. "Luka Kovac....from County," he said introducing himself. "What do we have?" he yelled above the noise. He listened as the rescue worker spoke and then hurried off in the direction he was sent in.   
  
He stopped in his tracks when he saw Benton half-carrying Carter away from the wreckage. "Hey!" he yelled in his thick Croatian accent as he ran over to them. "Is he okay?" he asked Benton quickly.   
  
"Yeah...he's going to be," Peter answered as he looked down at John, who was starting to go unconscious. "Fractured leg, a lot of bumps and bruises, possible concussion..."   
  
Peter was interrupted by Carter. "Abby...." he mumbled. "Abby was with me...." he finished before he lost consciousness.   
  
Luka's eyes went wide with fear at Carter's words. Abby. Abby was with him. In there, he thought as he looked at the demolished wreckage. His hands were shaking as he contemplated what condition she might be in.   
  
"Find her!" Benton yelled. "I'll take care of him!"   
  
Luka barely heard Peter's words as he rushed towards the area they had come from. "Abby!" he yelled again and again. "Abby!" He dropped to his knees and began digging the rubble away from the wreckage. He had to find her; he had to.   
  
His thoughts had drifted to that fateful day his wife and children had died. He had dug through the rubble for them too. Tears staining his face, screaming their names, begging for help.... And they had died horrible deaths, to his despair.   
  
Luka was lost in his own world as he worked fast and hard trying to find Abby. His precious Abby whom he had told wasn't pretty enough or wasn't special enough. "Damnit," he cursed himself.   
  
"Luka," a voice interupted from behind.   
  
He turned around, the sweat and grime sticking to his now sore body. "Susan," he said hoarsely as he stared at her.   
  
She smiled and looked down at her jogging pants and t-shirt. "I was jogging....they paged me," she tried to explain. "I'm here to help..."   
  
"Oh right," he murmured as he started to dig again. "Abby's in there," he stated matter-of-factly. "Her and Carter were on their way to work..."   
  
Susan interupted. "Carter...is he okay?" she demanded as she fell to her knees and started to dig.   
  
"He's fine. Peter Benton got him out. He has a fracture and alot of bruises..." he murmured as he tossed more rubble aside.   
  
"We're going to find her," Susan said sighing as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and began moving things. Her mind was wild with thoughts as they worked silently. At least Carter was okay, but Abby.... They had to find her; if they didn't....   
  
The fumes grew stronger as they dug. Susan's head began to swim from the toxicity of them and she leaned back on her heels closing her eyes. "Are you okay," Luka's voice interupted.   
  
She opened her eyes and smiled. "Better than the ones who are trapped in there," she said as she moved another piece of rubble. She stopped and grabbed Luka's arm. "We're in," she said pointing out a small hole revealing a sooty hand. "We're in...."   



End file.
